TOKYO: The secretary general of a Japanese opposition party on Monday called on farm minister Kazuo Yana to resign over his controversial remarks about slashing road funding for two municipalities whose leaders did not back him in a past general election, local media reported.
Kyodo News quoted Takeshi Shina of the Democratic Reform Party as saying that Yana must step down voluntarily and that if he does not resign, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi should dismiss him.
Yana has come under fire following recent media reports that he told supporters in May that fiscal 2026 road budgets had been sharply cut for Nasukarasuyama City and Nakagawa Town, two municipalities in his constituency whose mayors did not support him in the House of Representatives election in February.
Shina said the remarks amounted to voter intimidation, regardless of whether Yana had actually asked the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to cut the funding, the report said.
Amid widespread criticism, Yana last week largely acknowledged making the reported remarks, retracted them and apologised, but said he would not resign.
Although opposition lawmakers called for a full investigation and Yana's removal, Takaichi said last week that she has no intention of dismissing the embattled minister.
Yana is also facing a newly reported allegation that he violated the public offices election law by providing free shuttle bus rides to supporters during past lower house elections. The practice could constitute an illegal provision of benefits, according to the report.
Yana, who only became minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries last month, was among the ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers disciplined over a high-profile political slush fund scandal that came to light in late 2023 and dealt the party a heavy blow.
In addition to the latest call for Yana's resignation, six opposition parties agreed at a meeting of their upper house Diet affairs chiefs late last week to consider submitting a censure motion against him. - Xinhua
